Fewer people die in Louisiana due to excessive drinking, compared with the national average, according to a new CDC study released Thursday.

That figure may be a bit surprising, considering our state's laissez-les-bons-temps-rouler reputation. About 8.8 percent of deaths of working-age people in Louisiana are attributable to drinking, compared to 9.8 percent nationwide. That includes deaths from car accidents, alcohol poisoning, as well as medical issues like cirrhosis of the liver.

New Mexico was the state with the highest number of deaths attributed to alcohol, at 16.4 percent, while the lowest was Maryland, at 7.5 percent.